


Normal Students Cram for Exams

by aMantaRay



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Midterms, Pre-Relationship, Royal Imperial Academy, cramming, eli's destroyed his sleep schedule according to thrawn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26872681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aMantaRay/pseuds/aMantaRay
Summary: It's midterm season at the Royal Imperial Academy. Eli is cramming for an exam, and Thrawn is just a little concerned about the human's sleep cycle.
Relationships: Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Eli Vanto
Comments: 8
Kudos: 52





	Normal Students Cram for Exams

**Author's Note:**

> It's midterm season, guys! This is procrastination at its finest. I've got my own midterms this week. As in, like, tomorrow...or I guess technically today. Oops.
> 
> As always, enjoy.

“Cadet Vanto, according to my research on the basic human sleep cycle, you needed to be asleep five hours ago in order to receive your species’ required eight hours of rest,” Thrawn commented almost curiously, sitting on the edge of his bunk, leaning forward, elbows resting against his thighs. “Why do you not sleep?” 

The human barely spared him a glance, swiping to the next page of notes on his datapad. “I’m studyin’.” He scribbled down an extra note with his stylus. 

He turned, resting his back against the wall at the head of the bed, bringing a leg up onto the mattress. “Yes, but-”

“No buts, Thrawn. Studyin’. Midterm season,” he repeated, turning in his seat to reach for his cup of caf. “You can sleep, you know. Can turn the lights off. I’ve got my screen.” Eli glanced briefly over his shoulder to eye him. He was pretty certain that the Chiss had already napped a few hours earlier regardless. "I don' mean to keep you up."

Thrawn’s smile didn’t go unnoticed by the younger cadet. “I do not need eight hours of rest, Cadet Vanto.” Thrawn simply reached for his datapad, pulling up an article on Mandalorian Art. “I have already received my required hours of rest. Now, I will enjoy reading about Mandalorian Art while keeping you company.”

Eli downed his caf, grumbling to himself as he turned back to his own datapad. ...Well...that was kind of sweet. Irritating...but sweet. “Don’ you have to study for the same exam? We could study together if you’d like.”

“I appreciate the offer. However, I have already allotted myself multiple study sessions throughout this last week in preparation. I am prepared and have no need to...‘cram’, as you call it.” Thrawn kept his gaze on his article at that point.

_Of course_ the Chiss was already prepared. Never mind cramming like _every other kriffing cadet at the entire academy_. Eli let out a slow sigh, rubbing his fingers through his dark hair, lifting his own datapad from the desk. “Alright then.” He didn’t mind his roommate regardless. He enjoyed their comfortable silences when they both lapsed into a quiet study, both completing academy work or simply reading for enjoyment. It was...soothing. Relaxing.

Eli shook the thought away, unable to afford having the Chiss distract him from his task. He _really_ needed to do well on the exam the coming morning, even if that meant pulling an all-nighter. He brought up a copy of the textbook, rereading a section of the chapter he'd been working on. 

Barely a half hour had passed.

“Cadet Vanto?”

The human nearly groaned aloud. Nearly. “Yes?”

“How will you function during the exam if you do not take the time to rest?” He settled his datapad in his lap, watching Eli’s back with a furrowed brow, visible concern in his eyes. “I do not understand.”

“Caf mainly.” He sighed, giving his empty cup a slight shake in disappointment before tossing it into the small trash. He was pretty certain that the night's caffeine had lost its effect on him. Sad… He’d need much more to keep him awake the next day. “Also, there's the knowledge that tomorrow is Friday, and I can sleep in the next day to catch up on the sleep I’ve lost.”

Thrawn frowned while he considered this. “I am worried that that is...” he searched for the correct word, going back and forth in his mind for a moment, hand seeming to follow his thoughts in the air, “...insufficient.”

Eli turned fully this time, finding his gaze. “Insufficient?”

“Was that an incorrect usage of the word?” He settled his datapad on the small nightstand, bringing both legs to his chest, wrapping his arms loosely around them. 

“No, no, that was fine,” he answered, rubbing slowly at his eyes, a yawn escaping. “Insufficient means...not quite enough.”

Thrawn nodded. “Then yes, I did mean insufficient. You need to sleep now, before your sleep cycle is destroyed further.”

“Destroyed is a little overdramatic there, Bud.” Eli murmured, but shut off his datapad anyways, standing and stretching his arms over his head with another yawn. Sleep did sound nice… Regardless, there was just over two hours left before their alarm would go off. “Why’d you look into the human sleep cycle anyways?” He shut off the lights, reaching to climb the ladder up to his bunk, sprawling out on his stomach. That felt so nice. 

“I was concerned, so I completed my own research,” he moved to lay down on his back, one leg bent, the other hanging off the foot of the bed. Standard imperial bunks were too short for the Chiss. He hummed under his breath, watching Eli’s heat signature as he settled in for the night. He must have been too tired to respond to the Chiss, the exhaustion hitting him all at once. Thrawn smiled. “Goodnight, Eli.” Ten slow breaths allowed the human to drift to sleep. 


End file.
